Spool



Sept. 16, 1958 v. BOLDINGI SPOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 24, 1956 42 INVENTOR r-'I EE.

#aas/?3- L Bac. D/NG BY I ' ATToRm p 1958 H. v. BOLDING 2,852,206

SPOOL Filed April 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 43 4 #def/?T VBOLD//Ya FIEL- BY ATTORNEY lnited States Patent SPOOL Hbert V. Boiding, Clarksville, Ind., assignor to Standard Packaging Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Virginia Application April 24, 1956, Serial No. 580342 6 Claims. (Cl. 242 11s.s

This invention relates to spools or reels. Various articles such as twine, ribbon, cloth, paper, metal foil stips, plastic strps and the like may be wound on the spools.

The present invention provides a spool which can easily be manufactured from any sheet material. Paper board stock is a suitable material. By properly cutting, scoring and gluing sheet material it is possible to make the spool of the instant invention from a single blank, thereby eliminating the cumbersome multiple part spool design presently known in the art. The resultant spool is in a fiattened or collapsed condition, thereby providing substantial savings in shipment costs to the user. To place a spool in condition for use, the user need only apply opposing forces to opposite hinge lines of the collapsed spool, thereby accomplishing set-up of the spool to an erected condition ready for recept of articles to be wound thereon.

It is to be noted that the user need only apply opposing forces to accomplish erection of the spool from a collapsed condition; no final assembly steps or gluing steps are required.

The spool can, as will be readly understood by those skilled in the art, assume various shapes and configurations. In some situations a spool of polygonal cross section may be suitable while in other situations a spool of curved cross section will be preferred. The instant invention meets both requirements. r

The above advantages are provided by means of a spool which may be constructed of sheet material such as cardboard, plastic, and the like, and comprising a tubular body having a first body portion and a second body portion joined by parallel hinge connections in a manner such that during shipment the tubular body is in substantially fiattened condition. End forming means are hingedly connected to the transverse edges at each end of the tubular body.

Each end forming means comprises a first end portion and a second end portion which extend from first and second hinge lines at diametrically opposed edge portions of their respective end of the tubular body and which are connected by a third hinge line which is parallel to the first and second hinge lines.

The end forming means can upon Collapse of the tubular body ,told inwardly of the tubular body about the third hinge line or, preferably, fold outwardly of the tubular body. The hinge connections of the tubular body move transversely toward each other uponerection movement of the spool while the third hinge lines of the end forming means move longitudinally. The end forming means are preferably designed with an outer periphery which extends beyond the tubular body to provide an outer rdge around the spool for maintaining the articles on the spool. Various means may be provided if desired for interlocking the elements to maintain the spool in erected condition; also various modifications may be included for enabling rotation of the spool by the many known types of winding machines.

ICC

Various other objects and meritorious features of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction With the drawings wherein like numerals desgnate like parts throughout the several figures and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a single blank of sheet material suitable for constructing a spool hexagonal in cross section in accordance with the instant inventon;

Fig. 2 is a View of a spool in collapsed condition as shipped to the user constructed from the blank of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the collapsed spool of Fig. 2 in erected condition;

`Fig. 4 is a View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. S is a plan view of a blank in partially assembled condition, the blank having two dfierent end forming means suitable for construction of a spool having a curved periphery in cross section in accordance with the instant invention;

Fig. 6 is a top view partly in section of a spool constructed of the blank of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top view in section of the lefthand side of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side view of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top view similar to Fig. 7 showing the spool in partially collapsed condition.

As seen in Figs. 1-4, a spool in accordance with the instant invention comprses a tubular body 15 made up of a first body portion 16 and a second body portion 20. In this particular modification, a hexagonal cross section of the tubular body is shown and score lines 24 and the main parallel hinge constructions 40 are placed in theblank to provide the necessary hinging action. The first body portion 16 includes an inner panel .17 and two outer panels 18 and 19; the second body portion 20 includes an inner panel 21 and two outer panels 22 and 23. An anchor tab 25 is provided at the end of the first body portion 16 which is adhered by glue to the outer panel 23 of the second body portion 20 (Fig. 4).

End forming means 26 are provided at each end of the tubular'body 15, this means including a first end portion 27 which is hingedly connected to the inner panel 17 of the first body portion 16 on a first hinge line 28 and a second end portion 29 which is hingedly connected to the inner panel 21 of the second body portion 20 on a second hinge line 36. Preferably the first and second end portions 27, 29 are hingedly connected centrally of their respective body portions 16, 20, it being, however, necessary only that upon Collapse of the body portion 15 the two end portions 27, 29 of each end forming means 26 be able to collapse also. Properly aligned oli-center hinging would be satisfactory in some cases. The first and second end portions 27, 29 are hingedly connected by a third hinge connection on a third hinge line 31 which is parallel to the first and second hinge lines 28, 30 mentioned above and is aligned with a longitudinally eX- tending plane centrally through the tubular body 15.

The transverse faces of the end forming means 26 when in erected condition are preferably larger than the outer periphery of the tubular body to provide at least a partial peripheral ridge 32 for maintaining the articles wound on the spool in proper position. It will be noted in Fig. l that the end portions 27, 29 extend freely beyond the longitudinal edges of the inner panels 17 and 21 and are cut angularly to provide the ridge 32 adjacent the ends of outer panels 18, 25, 19 and 22.

To brace the spool in erected condition, brace means or panels 33 are provided which eXtend from the above mentioned third hinge line 31longitudinally inwardly into the end of the tubular body 15 where they are positioned in bracing engagement with the inner wall ot' the tubular body. The brace panels 33 are preferably connected together, as by gluing, at each end of the tubular body. As seen in Figs. 4, 5 and 8, the longitudinal edge surfaces 34 of the brace panels 33 are in abut ting, frictional, bracingengagement with the inner surface of the parallel hinge connections 40 of the tubular body 15.

'Preferably means are provided for maintaining the spool in erected condition, and as seen in Figs. 1-5 the brace panels 33 are provided with looking tabs 41 which eXtend transversely from the longitudinal edge surfaces 34 and are predeterminedly positioned for engagement with their respective looking notches 42 provided in the parallel hinge connections 40 of the tubular body.

Fig. 5 shows a spool in accordance with the instant invertion wherein a tubular body with a curved periphery is provided. The left-hand side of Fig. 5 discloses an end forming means 43 and brace means 44 suitable for recept of a rectangular driving means; the right-hand side of Fig. 5 discloses an end forming means 45 and brace means 46 designed for receipt of a central split driving spindle (this being similar to the design ofFigs. 1-4) or a jig with parallel extensions. The upper portion of the blank in Figt 5 has been curved upwardly to show the interlocking engagement 'of the looking tab 41 with the looking notch 42. No looking tab-notch structure is provided on the left-hand side of this blank, as the f'ictional engagement of the longitudinal edge surfaces 34 of the brace panels 44 has proved satisfactory in certain cases, Fig. 6 shows the blank of Fig. 5 in erected condition and indicates the curved periphery of the spool, a portion of this figure being broken away to disclose the joining of the anchor panel 47 to the second body portion.

lnFgs. 7 and 8 the left-hand side of the blank of Fig. 5 is shown to include a drivingsocket formed by two parallel cuts in the end 'forming means` 43 and the brace means 44. These outs form a longitudinal guide panel 43 and a transverse end panel 49 in each set of end forming means 43, 43 and brace means 44, 44. The remaining prtions of brace means 44 are glued together at each end of the tubular body. It will be noted that the outer peripheries of end forming means 43 and 45 are curved to form a curved ridge 32 for holding articles on the spool. v

' In Fig. 9 the' manner in which the structure of Fig. 7 collapses will be seen, the third hinge line 31 collapsing outwardly while the panels 48 and 49 Collapse inwardly about hinge lines 50. By this design a rotating mechansrn of rectangular design may be employed.

The right-hand side of Fig. 5 is provided with two parallel slots 51, 51 in the end formng means 45 and the bracing means 46 which are designed to receive a jig with parallel extensions.

The central openings 52, 52 provided in the end forming means of Figs. 1-4 and the right-hand side of Fig. 5 are provided for receipt of a spindle with a split end, the split end sliding over the brace means and extending on either side of the brace means to enable rotation of the spool by the spindle. Preferably a portion of the brace means is removed as at 53 to enable insertion of the spindle a reasonable distance within the spool.

The spool is shipped to the Consumer in the attened or collapsed condition shown in Fig. 2 and is erected by applying opposing forces to opposite hinge lines. These opposing forces may be applied to the parallel hinge connections 40, 40 of the tubular body or to the third hinge lines 31, 31 of the end forming means, or both. In some circumstances it may be preferable to initiate erection movement of the spool by contactng the hinge connections 40, 40 of the tubular body to facilitate the insertion of the spindle or other driving means which may be employed.

In View of the foregoing, various modifications of the invention described herein will be apparent to those l. A spool adapted for automatic erection from a collapsed condition by the application of opposed forces comprising a tubular body having a longitudinal axis and having a first body portion with longitudinal and transverse edges and a second body portion with longitudnal and transverse edges, the longitudinal edges of said first body portion being joined -by parallel hinge connections to their respective longitudnal edges of said second body portion to enable Collapse of the first and second body portions into substantially flattened condition, and end forming means at each end of said tubular body, each of said end forming means 'having a first end portion hngedly connected to the transverse edge of said first body portion on a first hinge line and a second end port n h d nn cted t h tta s e of said second body portion on a second hinge line parallel to said first hinge line, t he firstendporton and the second end portion of each end forming means being hngedly connected together on a third hinge line parallel to the first and second hingeline to enable Collapse of the first and second end portions into a substantially flattened condition when said rst and second body portions are al -%we 2. A spool in accordance with claim 1 and wherein said end forming means includes a bracing means extending from said third hinge line inwardly into the n o s d ub la b drnt br n p s m w t h imr al Q ai ub la .bo hen in ed con iti n- .s in a dano iwit s a lm an e ein a least on f sa d rs st e dore an .sai ec n end portions have a brace panel hngedly connected he et rsai h t hs ln an at nd q i ud n y i ard y .in t e end Qf i ubu a d wh n i erected condition, said brace panel having longitudinal sides in abuttng bracing engagement with the innr surf es of the Pa l e in n ns o h tubular body when in erected condition.

4. A spool in accordance with claim 3 and wherein at least one of said parallel hinge connections of the tubular body has at least one looking notch, and wherein said brace panel has a looking tab extendng transversely therefrom for interlocking engagement with said looking n h whe in t ond ion- 5. A spool in acc ordance with claim 1 and wherein said end' formng rneans inclnde means for receiving poo vn e =1 3 6. A spool in ;acorda ne with claim 1 and wherein each of the first and second end portions of each of said end forming means have a brace panel hngedly connected thereto at the third hinge lines and extending longitudinally inwardly into the end of said tubular body when in erected condition, each of the brace panele having longitudinal sides in abutting bracing engagement with the inner surfacs of the parallel hinge connections of the tubular body when in erected condition, the parallel hinge connctions of the tubular body having lockingnotches, 'said brace panels having looking tabs extending transversely therefrom for interlocking engagement with said looking notches when in erected condition, each of said end forming means having a central opening therein at said third hingeto enable the p s of a .d i ins mean t t di nwardly extendng brace panele.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PAENTS 

